Improvement in cigar-lighters



G. SELDEN. Cigar-Lighter.

No. 206,835. Patented Aug. 6,1878.

N. PETERS. PHDTO-LITHDGRAPNER. WASHINGTON. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE,

GEORGE SELDEN, OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN CIGAR-LIGHTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 206,835, dated August (i, 1573; application filed August 19, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE SELDEN, of Erie, county of Erie, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cigar-Lighters, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanyin g drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of my improved cigar-lighter. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the wick-holder detached. Fig. 3 represents the lighter with the side plate removed for showing the arrangement of the working parts, and Fig. 4 is a plan or top view of the lighter.

Similar letters 'of reference denote corresponding parts in all the figures.

My invention relates to a device adapted to be carried in the pocket for convenience in lighting cigars, pipes, 85e.; and consists, first, in a novel construction of case or lighter, combining` a wick or tape to be ignited and a percussion arrangement for ignitin g said wick or tape, as hereinafter explained', second, in a novel arrangement of devices for exploding the percussion-pellets; and, third, in a novel manner of combining the wick tube or holder With the case containing the percussion-pellets, and to which the exploding mechanism is applied, whereby it is adapted to be turned from the position in which it is ignited or iired to a convenient position for lighting the cigar or other combustible article to which it may be applied.

In the accompanying drawing, A represents a metallic case or box of any suitable ornamental design or configuration, the slightlyT elongated form shown being a convenient one for the purpose. One side of this case is made in part removable, by being pivoted at a, for opening the semi-cylindrical end of the case, to permitthe introduction of the coiled tape B, to which the percussion-pellets b are applied, said tape being coiled around a small central drum orroller,o, around which the tape passes in being fed outward, guided, and -held in place against the upper wall ofthe case by a second pin or small roller, c', as shown. The forward end A of the case may be made in the squared or angular form shown, or it may be rounded upward on its lower face, and has the wick-tube D pivoted to it at d, (see Fig. 3,) a lip or extension of the upper wall of the case at a overhanging said tube D and form` in g an apron, over which the percussion tapes or pellets are fed, said apron forming also the anvil upon which the pellets are exploded.

E represents the wick or flexible punkplaced in the tube D and adapted to be fed forward or upward by a star-wheel, e, or other suitable device for that purpose. The upper end of the tube D is closed by a pivoted cap-plate, el', which is removed or withdrawn when the wick is to be ignited, but which serves to extinguish the wick and to protect it when not in use.

The lip or projection al has a central perforation at a2, over which the percussion-pellets rest when being exploded, and through which the fire is conveyed to the end of the wick resting in close proximity thereto. The means for feeding the percussion-pellets forward and ring the same are as follows: F represents a transverse shaft mounted in suitable bearings in the side walls of the case in front of the tape B, and squared between its bearings to adapt it to receive and impart motion to two arms, f and g, mounted thereon.

The arm f has a pivoted extension or pawl, f', reaehin g to within close proximity with the upper wall of the case A, and pressing the tape B snugly against the same. This pawl is pivoted in such manner as to allow it a forward movement relative to its supporting-arm f, but is held against backward deflection by shoulders at the joint connecting it with said arm, a spring, hf, serving to prevent the forward deflection of the pawl except to permit it to pass over the pellets b in its backward or return movement. The end of the pawl is rounded on its rear face to facilitate its backward movement over the percussion-pellets, as explained.

The arm g is made of suflicient length to pass through a slot, ax, in the upper wall of case, and is made in the form of a cam,adapt ing it to act on the hammer which explodes the percussion-pellets, as follows:

I represents a at spring, rigidly secured at its rear end to the rear end of the case, said spring resting upon the upper wall of the case, and ovcrhanging at its forward end the projecting lip or anvil al, where it is provided with thc hammer yi resting upon said anvil directly over the perforation a?.

The spring I, about midway of its length, is provided with a lip or spur. i', which overhangs the slot u* in which the arm y moves, said spur being inclined on its forward face to permit the arm r1 to crowd it to one side of thc slot in the backw'ard movement of said arm, the spring 1 yielding laterally to permit the passage of the arm by the lip or spur without raising the spring aml hammer. The percussion-tape passes out ot' the case A through a slot at its upper front corner, directly over the anvil al and underneath the hammer i, aml is fed forward hy theI pawl 1" resting against the rear face of one ofthe pellets, which thus acts as a tooth for propelling the tape forward, while the arm g, actingby the same movement on the lip 1'.' of the spring l, lifts the hammer 1' out of frictional contact with the tape l, thus permitting the feeding movement ot' the tape.

By this arrangement the percinssionpellets are successively fed forward until they rest upon the lip or anvil directly over the perforation a2, when the cam-arm q escapes from the lip i', and the hammer is caused by the spring Ito descend thereon with sufficient force to explode the pellet, the fire from which passes throughthe perforation a2 and ignitcs the wick, as explained.

Motion is imparted to the arms f and Il b v means of a thumb-piece extension of the shaft F or a ring, F', attached to a proiecting end of said shaft, and adapted to fold out ot' the way against the side wall of the case A or within a socket or recess formed thereon. The wick-tube D,instead ofbeingpivotcd, as shown and described, may be hinged to the lower corner or face of the case in such way as to adapt it to fold from the position shown in Figs. l and 3 against the lower wall of the c: se. The wick or punk may be of any suitable material that is easilyignited and adapted to the purpose described.

'lhe percussion-tape is placed in the case with the pellets on its inner or lower side, as shown, for facilitating feeding forward ot' the same and the escape of the tire through the perforation a?, as explained, and in praeticel prefer, in preparing the tape, to saturate it in transverse lines crossing the pellets otl fulminate with a solution of saltpetcr or some equivalent therefor, so that when one ot' the pellets is exploded the tape will burn across on said line, allowingr thc end to drop ofi'.

llaving now described my invention, what I claim as new, aml desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a pocket lighting device, the colnbination otl an adjustable tindcr and an adjustable percussion-tape, ignited by any suitable mechamsm.

2. In apocket lighting device7 a box or ease having a hannner capable of operation from the exterior, a wickduct or tnbe,1neans for feeding and exploding a pellet by the action ofthe hammer, and a wick-feeder.

3. The combination, with the 1ightercase A, of the pivoted or hinged wick-tube D and tape l, provided with the pellets of fulminate, substantially as aml for the purpose set forth.

4. The case A, provided with a perforated anvil, al, and the spring and hammer I, operating substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The shaft F, provided with the armsf,f, and g, in combination with the tape having pellets of fulminate, and the hammer for exploding the same, substantially as described.

GEO. SELDEN.

\\'itnesses:

S. S. SPENCER, JNo. l). llsnv. 

